Jerry West Makes Basketball History With Third Enshrinement Into Hall of Fame

Patrick Andres | Apr 3, 2024

Los Angeles Clippers executive Jerry West. / Allen Berezovsky/GettyImages

Hoops legend and the man behind the NBA's world-renowned logo, Jerry West, made basketball history on Wednesday after he was elected for enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor to the game, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

When officially inducted, it'll mark a record third time West has been enshrined in the Hall of Fame, the most among any player, coach, front office executive or any other member of a basketball organization.

West, 85, was first enshrined in the Hall of Fame as a player in 1979 following the conclusion of his prolific NBA career, which spanned from 1960 to '74. In 2010, he was again immortalized in Springfield, Mass., when he was honored for his contributions as a member of the United States's 1960 Olympic team that won the gold medal in Rome. He will be enshrined for the third time in 2024.

West earned 14 All-Star and 12 All-NBA selections throughout his 14-year career, all of which he spent with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a five-time member of the league's All-Defensive team ad was the scoring champion in 1969-70. He won his lone championship in 1972 and earned Finals MVP in 1969, despite the Lakers losing to the Boston Celtics. Across 932 games, West averaged 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per contest.

After his playing career, West has worked for various front offices, including a lengthy spell with the Lakers where he won five championships. He also held roles with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, and currently serves as an executive board member for the Los Angeles Clippers.